With over 1,500 films available for screening, and as the only North American market devoted exclusively to short films, the Toronto Worldwide Short Film Festival is attracting a long list of American and international buyers.

Among those attending the June 2-8 festival are Sundance Channel’s Gary Garfinkle. ‘At most festivals I only have access to films being screened, but with information available on all the submissions it’s a lot easier for me to see what’s out there,’ says Garfinkle, who is looking to pick up 100 to 125 shorts in 1997 for Showtime Network’s Sundance Channel.

With licence fees ranging from $1,000 to $1,500 for an 18-month window, he’s shopping for unique product with good production values that’s accessible to tv audiences.

Other American buyers registered as of May 25 are Miramax’s Michelle Raimo, Forefront Films’ Harold Warren, the Chicago International Film Festival’s James Healy, the New York City Museum of Modern Art’s William Sloan and Sylvia Jaunzarins of Gotham Entertainment Group.

As a developer, producer and distributor of film and tv projects, New York-based Gotham is scouting new talent at the Toronto festival, says company partner J’el Roodman. ‘This festival will allow us to check out what’s happening at the ground level.’

Gotham, which just wrapped the Warner Bros. feature Goodbye Lover starring Patricia Arquette, Ellen DeGeneres and Mary Louise Parker, is looking to develop scripts from new filmmakers at the Toronto festival as well as acquire product for distribution.

Representatives from the international market making the trek to Toronto for the third annual event include Network Ireland tv’s Derry O’Brien, Swedish Institute’s Ulla Aspgeren, Walter Fernando of Sri Lanka’s Nawa Cinema Films, and three Iran Television reps.

Many of the buyers will also participate in the industry workshops and panels running in tandem with the film program.

As well, the Mexican General Consulate and the Mexican Institute of Cinematography have acquired funding from their government’s ministry of foreign affairs to bring a retrospective of 11 short films and some of their directors to the festival as part of a special international program highlighting Mexican cinema.

The Academy Award-winning El Ultimo Fin De Ano and the 1997 Academy nominated De Tripas Corazon are included in the Mexican lineup.

Mexico’s Institute of Cinematography plans to build a long-term relationship with the Toronto short film festival, says Mexican Consulate press attache Ricardo Ramirez-Leal, and the Toronto event is being promoted in Mexico, which may spur buyers and producers to attend.

The consulate’s cultural director Jose Manuel Springer and Milagios Soriano, director of Mexico’s short film festival, will attend.

As North America’s largest festival of shorts, the Toronto event features a showcase of 130 films from over 50 countries along with Canadian and international programs and retrospectives.

The recent Cannes Palme d’Or recipient Is It The Design of the Wrapper from English director Tessa Sheridan will have its North American premiere at the festival. Also screening is the 1997 Academy Award-winning Quest from Germany’s Tyron Montgomery and Thomas Stellmach.

‘The list of international buyers is evidence that short films are profitable for distributors when skillfully packaged and aimed at international broadcasters,’ says twsff’s workshop director Etan Vlessing.

Special series slated this year include ‘American Animators of the Future’ and a ‘Famous Actors’ program featuring short films directed by Sandra Bullock, Rob Lowe and Christian Slater.